Nail Surgeries

Nail Surgeries

We make saying goodbye to recurring ingrown toenails easy

Despite their small size, ingrown toenails have the potential to wreak havoc for anyone affected. They’re painful, frustrating, difficult to try to remove, and they can make taking every step and wearing shoes a nightmare. Ingrown toenails are also vulnerable to infection which adds significant risk to your foot health.

Nail Surgeries

Partial Nail Avulsion

The best solution is a simple procedure called a partial nail avulsion (PNA). It involves removing a small section of the side of the toenail that is growing into the skin. We achieve fantastic results with this procedure, it’s quick, simple, done under local anaesthetic so is painless, and we remove only a small amount of the nail edge to keep the toenail looking normal and healthy. Once the offending nail edge has been removed, the surrounding skin is able to heal, the wound is able to close, your painful symptoms will settle, and you will no longer be at risk of infection.

There are two options for your partial nail avulsion:

With a chemical matrixectomy; or

Without a chemical matrixectomy

Chemical Matrixectomy

A chemical matrixectomy describes the addition of a chemical to the nail edge during the PNA procedure that destroys the nail-growing cells at the base of the nail. This means the edge of the nail we treat permanently stops growing new nail so you can finally stop repeatedly suffering from ingrown toenails. The rest of the nail continues to grow normally and the skin will move in on the side of the nail so your nail does not have an abnormal appearance. Chemical matrixectomy are effective in approximately 4 out of 5 patients because of the body’s amazing and otherwise integral ability to heal and restore damaged cells.

Completing a PNA without a chemical matrixectomy will give you the same relief from the ingrown toenail you are suffering but does not guarantee that it won’t recur in the future. This is suitable for those that have developed an ingrown nail for the first time, but we recommend a matrixectomy for those that have repeatedly suffered from ingrown toenails as a permanent solution.

PNA’s are great because:

  • They’re done under local anaesthetic so are pain-free
  • You just sit back in the treatment chair, relax, read or browse through your phone
  • The total appointment time is typically around 60 minutes with the actual procedure typically only taking around 15 minutes
  • You don’t need to take any time off work or school
  • You don’t need to wear any special braces or footwear, just ensure the toe isn’t placed under any pressure from very tight shoes for a few days following the procedure so it can heal well
  • There typically isn’t much discomfort following the procedure and any that does arise can effectively be managed with regular pain-killers (not aspirin-based)
  • We dress and monitor your toe over several follow-up appointments and provide you with a home dressing pack
  • Your follow-up appointments to check on the nail post-surgery are FREE

We’ll talk through all of the steps of the procedure and answer any questions you may have at your appointment to ensure that a PNA is the best treatment choice for you. We can also conservatively manage ingrown toenails as part of general nail care appointment as a temporary solution to relieve painful symptoms.